Designs for Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail Unveiled

A preview of the designs for the multi-million-dollar Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail has been released ahead of the In-Region Reveal to be held in Langhorne Creek on Sunday 16 August.

The Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail will create a new way to experience one of South Australia's most distinctive wine regions. Winding through the heart of Langhorne Creek, the 2.8-kilometre Discovery Trail will connect wineries, heritage, community spaces and natural landscapes, revealing the stories, character and experiences that make the region unique.

It is an ambitious investment in Langhorne Creek's future, designed to enhance its appeal as a visitor destination, attract new opportunities for business and tourism, and create a lasting legacy for generations to come.

Discovery Trail Features

Along the Discovery Trail, a series of new and renewed spaces are being created, each designed to reflect what makes Langhorne Creek unique.

• A new nature-based playground will be built in First Reserve. This will incorporate creative and contemporary play equipment, seasonal water elements, and First Nations storytelling. The playground is intended to be a destination in its own right – something for families and visitors to seek out, not just pass through. New toilets, BBQ facilities, and accessible play equipment will also be included.

• Next to this, a new pedestrian bridge across the Bremer River will provide both a practical connection and a strong design feature, reflecting the character of the region with railing referencing wine barrel staves.

• Frank Potts Reserve will have two new shelters and picnic settings, plus a bicycle pump track outside the current camping area designed to complement the treescape, enhancing the space, not only for campers, but also for the local community.

• At Alfred Langhorne Park, a new shelter  will support storytelling and community information, including retaining the current artwork, helping to bring more life and activity into the space.

Across the full length of the Discovery Trail will be public artworks, places to sit, gather and spend time, with trail features incorporating natural materials such as stone and wood where possible, leaning into the natural setting and character of the town.  Significant landscaping will also take place with many hundreds of plantings, including mature trees and smaller natives, going in as part of the project.

Wayfinding and interpretive signage will help people understand and experience the region more deeply. Importantly, this wayfinding will also encourage visitors to move beyond the trail itself, pointing them towards other places and experiences across Langhorne Creek and the wider region.

A key part of the project is storytelling. Langhorne Creek has many layers – wine and produce, of course, but also its unique water systems and relationship to flooding, many angles of rich history, and deep First Nations heritage. Thanks to the work and local knowledge of the Project Partnership Group – Langhorne Creek Grape and Wine, The Langhorne Creek Hub, and the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation – these stories are being woven through the trail so that what is created is not just a visitor experience, but something that reflects and reinforces the identity of this special place.

Taken together, the Discovery Trail is intended to:

• create new, high-quality public spaces for the community
• attract visitors and give them more reasons to stay and explore
• attract investment in the region
• support local businesses by dispersing visitation across the region, and offering opportunities for activation and diversification
• express Langhorne Creek’s identity and shared sense of place